Squirrels starter programme
Squirrels starter programme
Express your interest to open a Squirrels Drey
If you've decided that you'd like to start a new Squirrels Drey and have completed the readiness checklist, please complete this form to express your interest. This should be done by Group Scout Leaders and the District Commissioner will then carry out a final review.
Ensure you have read the readiness checklist before you complete this short form
The Squirrels starter programme
To get you started with your Squirrels meetings, we’ve put together a ready-made programme that you can run for 15 weeks (a full term).
The programme sets out 15 sessions. Each session includes a suggested opening and closing ceremony, a game, and an activity to get everyone involved. Each activity includes a story, so you’ll have all the tools you need to run a successful programme right from the start.
Your Drey will explore a different outcome of the Squirrels programme each week. Each session showcases one of the themes from the theory of change that underlies the Squirrel Scouts programme.
Remember to practice the Squirrel Scout Promise and Scout sign every time you meet so your Squirrels can be invested and get their Membership Award.
Every Drey is unique, and it’s important you adapt the structure of your session to make it work for everyone. Most people find that a structure works well when it gives young people the chance to:
- Start with an opening ceremony.
- Get stuck into an activity – this makes up the bulk of your session. Squirrel activities usually start with a story (you’ll find a story or a link to borrow a story on each activity) and finish with an opportunity to reflect.
- Play a game or two. You’ll want at least one game to play as the Squirrels arrive and as a break between activities.
- End with a closing ceremony.
You can complete these sessions in order or move them around to work for your Drey, the resources you have, and (most importantly) the weather. You’ll also need to practice the Squirrel Scout Promise and invest your new Squirrels, so remember to include time for this in your programme plan.
Each session, the Squirrels will work towards a badge. If you follow this 15 week programme, Squirrels will complete five badges in their first term. They’ll earn their:
Useful information to help with the starter programme:
To watch in full screen, double click the video
To watch in full screen, double click the video
Jump into your first term of Squirrels
This is a great session to start with, as it allows new Squirrels to start getting to know each other and find out about Scouts and the adventure they’re joining.
By the end of the session, each Squirrel will have their own model campfire that they can take home and use to remind them of their Squirrels experience.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Membership Award
- Get Creative Activity Badge (requirement 1)
This session gets the whole Drey moving with a fun, colourful look at carnival around the world.
Squirrels will find out about carnival with a story about Nini and a traditional Jamaican children’s game.
- The opening ceremony
- Musical statues
- Punchinella, little fella
- Let’s celebrate Caribbean carnival
- The closing ceremony
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Let’s Celebrate Activity Badge (requirement 3)
- All Around Us Challenge Award (requirement 4)
Understanding how people feel from their facial expressions is a skill most people learn as they grow.
This session gives the Drey the chance to enjoy some fun games. At the same time, they’ll be developing skills that will help them understand their own emotions and other people’s too. By the end of the session, they’ll understand more about how everyone’s responses might be different.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Feel Good Activity Badge (requirement 2)
In this session, Squirrels will explore food and teamwork. They’ll get started with a fun, active game.
The Drey will then have the chance to take part in a scavenger hunt and make their own fruity kebabs and games.
- The opening ceremony
- Apple, orange or banana?
- We’re going on a fruit hunt
- Fruit kebabs
- The closing ceremony
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Super Chef Activity Badge (requirement 2)
- Let It Grow Activity Badge (requirement 3)
The adventure continues for Squirrels as they have the chance to build their own den – a Scouts activity they’ll continue to do in different ways as they grow in Scouts! This activity has a strong focus on teamwork. You can get stuck in indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather and the equipment you have.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Brilliant Builder Activity Badge (requirement 3)
- All About Adventure Challenge Award (requirement 2)
Get your Drey together and make some noise!
Music is all around us. This session involves celebrating music – it gives the Drey the chance to create their own instruments like a rain maker or a drum.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Get Creative Activity Badge (requirement 2)
This session gives the Drey the chance to learn to work together and explore their feelings.
Through games and activities, Squirrels will explore kind and unkind behaviours. They’ll work together to build a code of conduct for their Drey, taking into account everyone’s thoughts and feelings.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- All Together Challenge Award (requirement 1)
The activity for this session builds trust and teamwork within the Drey.
The Squirrels will create obstacle courses in small groups, then it’ll be time to take a deep breath and go for it. Each group will test the obstacle courses, working as a team to get their Drey through!
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- All Together Challenge Award (requirement 3)
Get the whole group and their families together to share some Scouts skills with a great outdoors adventure.
This session gives Squirrels an opportunity to share some traditional Scouts activities around the campfire, while learning the importance of how to stay safe.
- The opening ceremony
- Kim’s danger game
- Burning marshmallows
- Time for some campfire songs
- The closing ceremony
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- All About Adventure Challenge Award (requirement 4)
This physical session is almost guaranteed to get everyone in your Drey moving. Burn some energy, stretch, then try out some age appropriate yoga.
This session’s fun for both adults and young people, so get everyone to give it a try and enjoy learning about the body.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Feel Good Activity Badge (requirement 1)
In this session, Squirrels will have an adventure outside and explore the beauty of nature by creating a fantastical creature of their own.
Then it’ll be time for the Drey to take part in energetic games and explore bug-gy behaviour by getting down with bugs, some of the UK’s smallest creatures.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Get Creative Activity Badge (requirement 3)
It’s time to get your detective hats on, Squirrels! Everyone will have to work as a Drey to follow the clues and solve the mystery.
This session will help everyone develop their listening skills and encourage the Squirrels to work together.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- All Together Challenge Award (requirement 2)
It’s always important that people understand how to be helpful in emergencies.
These activities are a fun way to help young people understand how to stay calm and what they should do in emergency situations.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Emergency Aid Staged Activity Badge (stage one)
This session encourages everyone to think of ways to be kind to each other and their community.
Discuss how we can be kind every day, what we can do for others and how this makes other people feel. Think of someone special and create a jar filled with kindness just for them.
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Local Superhero Activity Badge (Requirement 3)
- Community Impact Staged Badge (Requirement 3)
Everyone enjoys the chance to play games. In this session, Squirrels will also create a safe and cosy space where they can relax together.
Once each Drey’s worked together to build their own blanket fort, they can get stuck in decorating their forts. How will they make them the perfect space to be together and reflect on their first term of Squirrels?
In this session, Squirrels will work towards:
- Feel Good Activity Badge (Requirement 3)